Breeds of Livestock

Sire Breeds

Fast growing, muscular, late maturing, low milking

Maternal Breed

Early sexual maturity, inherently fertile, moderate to heavy milking, small to moderate size

Composite/Crossbreed

Display desirable traits from multiple breeds, fast growing, hardy, productive

Bos Taurus Breeds Origin

Europe

Bos Indicus Breeds Origin

Southeast Asia, primarily India

Angus

• From Scotland

• Black, polled, moderate size

• *Excellent marbling*

• Excellent maternal breed

• Most yearly registrations in U.S.

Hereford/Polled Hereford

• From England

• Red with white face and underline

• Moderate size and hardy

• Poorest marbling of British breeds

Shorthorn

• From England

• Red, white, roan colored

• Moderate size, good disposition, excellent milk production

• Sometimes considered dual purpose via milking lines

Charolais

• From France

• White coat and large

• Extremely fast growing

• Fast maturing

• Below average maternally and marbling

Chianina

• From Italy

• Used to have off white coat, but turned to black coat

• Large, fast growing, late maturing

• Below average maternally and marbling

• “Show Steers”

Limousin

• From France

• Originally reddish gold coat with pink pigment but black coat and pigment are acceptable

• Lean and muscular

• Moderate size under 1200 lbs

• Problematic marbling

• Below average maternally

Brahman

• From India

• Red and gray coats, horned

• Known for heat tolerance

• Disease resistant

• Often crossbred

• Poor marbling and slow maturity

Brangus

• From U.S.

• Black coat and polled

• 5/8 Angus, 3/8 Brahman

• Excellent maternally, moderate size, early sexual maturity, heat tolerant

• Intermediate carcass merit

Santa Gertrudis

• From U.S.

• 5/8 shorthorn, 3/8 Brahman

• Dark red coat, polled and horned

• Known for maternal ability and hardiness

Beefmaster

• From U.S.

• ½ Brahman, ¼ Shorthorn, ¼ Hereford

• No set color pattern

• Known for longevity, hardiness, rapid growth, and maternal ability

Texas Longhorn

• From Texas with Spain Origin

• Long horns

• Specialty breed for horns and hide

Wagyu

• From Japan

• Horned with black or red coats

• Known for marbling and tenderness

• Elevated omega-3, omega-6, and conjugated linoleic acid

• Early maturity, highly fertile, easy calving

Brown Swiss

• From Switzerland

• Hair is brown with light muzzle and dorsal stripe

• Average lactation of 16,135 lbs of milk

Holstein-Friesian

• From Netherlands

• Large, black and white coat, docile

• Dominant dairy breed for fluid milk production (90% of all dairy cattle)

• Lowest butterfat percentage of 3.6%

• Produces average of 20,121 lbs of milk during lactation

Jersey

• From the Isle of Jersey

• Small and refined appearance with light tan to dark fawn coats

• Early maturing, high fertility

• Highest percentage of butterfat at 4.7%

• Milk desirable for cheese products

• Average milk yield of 13,358 lbs

• Humid and heat tolerant

Identifying breeds of swine

• Ear configuration (folded/drooping)

• Color (pattern and body color)

• Maternal, sire, and specialty classifications

Landrace

• From Denmark

• White coloring with huge drooping ears

• Longer bodied due to extra vertebrae

• More confinement adaptable

• Good mothers

Yorkshire

• From England

• “Mother breed”

• White with erect ears

• Frequently crossbred

• Known for large litters, relatively lean and good feed conversion

Duroc

• From U.S.

• Reddish brown with drooping ears

• Excellent growth rate and feed efficiency, generally considered a sire breed

• Average carcass merit, tend to be fatter than Hampshire sired pigs

• Known for good marbling

Hampshire

• From U.S. (origin more likely U.K.

• Black with a white belt around shoulders, erect ears

• Known for lean, muscular carcasses, used primarily as a sire breed

Pietrain

• From Belgium

• Black and white spotted with erect ears

• Terminal sire breed (used as a sire for crossbreeding where offspring are sold for carcass)

• Extremely lean and muscular

• Early maturity

• Can carry PSS

• Used in show pig industry

Porcine Stress Syndrome

Genetic condition triggered by stress and cause death or carcass defects (meat is soft, pale, and wet)

Merino

• From Spain

• Most dominant breed in worldwide sheep industry

• The Golden Fleece

• Merinos typically smaller than other wool breeds and slower growing

• Very hardy, fertile, and long-lived

• Excellent flocking instinct

• White-faced

• Generally very fine fleeces (minus some in Australia)

• Screw worm fly was big issue

• More wrinkles = more wool

Rambouillet

• From France

• Descended from Merino but larger and faster growing

• Prominent in Western U.S. and Texas

• Used as dual purpose for fine wool and decent growth plus carcass

• Selected against wrinkles and wool on face

Hampshire (Ovine)

• From England

• Sire breed known for rapid growth and muscularity

• Face, legs, and ears are dark brown to black and the sheep should have a wool cap on its head

• One of the most popular sire breeds for commercial sheep production

• Genetics infused with Suffolk genes in past 20 years

Suffolk

• From England

• Very old breed used as one of the most popular sire breeds in commercial production

• No wool on head or legs with black head and legs

• Active sheep that grow very fast and produce lean, muscular carcasses

• Ewes are prolific and heavy milking but produce very poor fleeces

• Single trait selection ruined the breed

• Spider gene (hereditary chondrodysplasia) = recessive lethal

Southdown

• From England

• Imported to U.S. in 1803

• Small to medium sized with light brown face and legs

• Meaty, light weight carcasses

• Low maintenance with average prolificacy and milk production

Dorset

• From England

• Medium sized breed known for its ability to breed out of season plus prolificacy and milking ability

• Mature early both sexually and compositionally

• White-faced sheep produce light shearing, open fleece

• Hot house lambs

Dorper

• From South Africa

• Hair sheep that are low maintenance

• White body with black or white head

• Very fertile; breeds out of season

• Adaptable and hardy

• Lambs grow rapidly and have high weaning weights

• Composite: Dorset x Black Headed Persian

Finnsheep

• From Finland

• Most noted for extreme prolificacy (ewes produce 3+ lambs)

• Ewes noted for milking ability, easy lambing, and maternal instincts

• Poor fleeces, slow growing, light muscled

• Require intensive management

South African Boer Goat

• From South Africa

• Hardy, fast growing meat goat

• Good meat confirmation with superior spring of rib, body length, and muscling

• Medium size with prominent horns and broad drooping ears

• Generally brown head and neck with white body and legs, having short to medium hair

Spanish Goat

• Refers to any goat in the U.S. with mixed origin

• Generic meat goat

• Very prolific and hardy

• Generally males and females are horned

• Highly varied in appearance and performance due to little planned trait selection

• Many color combinations

Nubian

• From Africa

• Most popular dairy goat registry

• Large stature with large drooping ears and “Roman Nose”

• Any color is acceptable and may also have spotting

• Noted for higher butterfat content than other dairy breeds

• “Jersey” of goats

Saanen

• From Switzerland

• One of the most popular breeds of dairy goat in the U.S.

• Medium to large in size and have distinctive erect ears and a straight or dished face

• White is preferred color, spots are allowed but undesirable

• Noted for volume of milk production

• “Holstein” of goats

• Most popular

Nigerian Dwarf

• From Africa

• Popular breed of dairy goat for small U.S. farms

• Miniature goat with similar conformation to larger dairy breeds, with erect ears

• Main color is black or chocolate, random white markings and spots are common

• Commonly found in petting zoos

Angora

• From Turkey

• Produces mohair, a luxurious fiber that commands a higher price than wool

• Finest hair produced by kid goats with the hair getting coarser as the goat gets older

• Sheared twice a year

• Managed primarily under range conditions

• Over 90% of the nation’s population reside in Texas (Edward’s Plateau)

Leghorn

• From Mediterranean

• Most prolific egg laying breed

• Most commercial egg-type pullets are produced by crossing inbred lines of birds that originated from this breed’s stock

• Small hens that lay large white eggs (235 per year)

White Cornish

• From England

• Used as the sire line in broiler production

• Large, fast growing chickens that are marginal egg layers

• Broad breasted, heavily muscled

• Tougher meat and stronger connective tissue

Broad Breasted White Turkey

• From U.S.

• Developed by crossing the Bronze and White Holland strains

• The industry has emphasized muscularity, growth rate, and white feathers

• Birds are so heavy and muscular they are no longer capable of natural reproduction, also have problems with leg structure

• 100% of turkeys are produced using artificial insemination